God's terrible voice in the city

Great irregularities there have been in the lives of most Londoners, little Gospel-reformation; little making Religion the business; little holy exact living. If a stranger had looked into our City, and observed the lives of the most, and not known them to have had the name of Christians, would not he have judged them to be Heathens, yea many of them in their dealing to be worse then Turks and Infidels? Thus Personal Reformation hath been neglected.

2. A great neglect there hath been of family reformation in London; How few have with Joshua resolved, and accordingly endeavoured that they and their houses should serve the ⟨p. 137⟩Lord? how few have set up Religious worship in their families? have not many hundred houses in the City been without family-prayer in them from one end of the week to the other? and is it strange that the Lord hath burned down those houses, wherein the inhabitants would not vouchsafe to worship him? And where there hath been some prayer in many families, it was but once a day, and that so late at night, and when the body hath been so tried, and sleepy, and the soul so dull, and unfit for Gods service, that the prayers have been no prayers, or lost prayers, such, which instead of pleasing him, have provoked him to anger? how few did labour to instruct their families; Catechize their children and servants, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? hath not God threatened to pour out his wrath upon irreligious families? Jer. 10. 25.

2. A great neglect there hath been of family reformation in London; How few have with Ioshuah resolved, and accordingly endeavoured that they and their houses should serve the ⟨p. 137⟩Lord? how few have set up Religious worship in their families? have not many hundred houses in the City been without family-prayer in them from one end of the week to the other? and is it strange that the Lord hath burned down those houses, wherein the inhabitants would not vouchsafe to worship him? And where there hath been some prayer in many families, it was but once a day, and that so late at night, and when the body hath been so tryed, and sleepy, and the soul so dull, and unfit for Gods service, that the prayers have been no prayers, or lost prayers, such, which instead of pleasing him, have provoked him to anger? how few did labour to instruct their families; Catechize their children and servants, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? hath not God threatned to pour out his wrath upon irreligious families?